Running and stumbling back from the "hole" he smashed open.
At a glance, he saw Nero struggling to resist Romulus's attacks.
Disregarding the side effects of [Escapist], Takumi accelerated and rushed forward.
He stabbed his spear at the "wooden stick" Romulus used to block in front of him, forcing him to retreat several steps.
Barely relieving Nero from the siege. The two sides opened up a relatively safe distance again.
"My Guard! It's great that you're alright!"
Nero looked at Takumi with surprise and joy.
"Cough cough, it's hard to say I'm alright..."
Takumi leaned on the flag, forced a smile, and said weakly.
The strike just now was already Takumi's full strength. After delivering it, his whole body was in excruciating pain.
If they continued fighting like this, Takumi estimated he would drop dead right there for everyone to see.
"Umu! To be able to go to such lengths as a human Master, your will is indeed praiseworthy!"
Romulus looked appreciatively at Takumi, who was gasping for air but still staring at him intently.
Then he changed the subject:
"However, boring, too boring! This battle is too dull; it doesn't surprise Me ([Rome]) at all!"
"So..."
Saying this, Romulus infused magical energy into the Spear of Nation Building in his hand. Red light shone brilliantly on it.
Nero and Takumi, roughly understanding what Romulus was going to do, were already standing together.
"My Guard! It seems it is time to use your Noble Phantasm again!"
Takumi didn't speak; he just planted the flag on the ground.
Turning his head, he smiled at Nero.
"Use it as you please. No matter what the result is, I will stand with Your Majesty."
Nero froze for a moment, an unconsciously brilliant smile appearing on her face.
"Umu!"
With a trace of imperceptible jubilation, Nero gripped the flagstaff together with Takumi.
Then, the two looked at Romulus in front of them simultaneously.
Their gazes revealed unwavering determination.
Romulus's Noble Phantasm release was also nearing its end at this moment.
"So let this be the end!"
"Here I ([Rome]) will display this supreme Noble Phantasm, liberating the true form of [Rome]—"
"[Magna Voluisse Magnum: All Things Lead to My Spear]!"
The Spear of Nation Building in Romulus's hand began to expand continuously, growing wildly like a real tree. In the blink of an eye, the two's vision was completely occupied by this seemingly boundless green.
The verdant tree crown didn't look like a tree in people's understanding at all; it was more like a meteorite falling from the sky, suppressing the air. The violent wind it stirred up blew the two's hair back continuously.
The cloth of the flag also flapped loudly in this wind, as if it wanted to break free from its restraints at any time.
[The Unwavering Heart]!
Light shone brightly!
With the combined efforts of the two, this Noble Phantasm inherited from Jeanne, but truly belonging to Takumi himself, manifested once again.
The brilliant golden-red light turned into an indestructible wall, blocking firmly in front of the two.
The figures of the two shone brightly under this light, their shadows elongated and intertwining casually behind them.
The light this time was far stronger than any previous use of the Noble Phantasm.
But even so, the figures of the two were still incredibly tiny under this towering giant tree.
As soon as the light was touched, cracks climbed up it like shattered glass.
So—
"Command Spell!"
One of the seals on the back of his hand flashed with crimson light.
Then it turned into a red beam, reinforcing the Noble Phantasm held by both.
The barrier formed by light was repaired in an instant, and the barrier became much more solid as a result.
The next second.
The attack of Romulus's Noble Phantasm struck completely, like a mudslide mixed with rolling boulders, smashing onto the barrier in front of the two.
[Magna Voluisse Magnum]
Different from the energy-type attacks of general Noble Phantasms, this Noble Phantasm leaned more towards suppressing people with absolute mass. It was a terrifying super-mass weapon.
Appearing in the dream of his mother Silvia from conception until Romulus's birth, it was regarded as the same existence as the great tree symbolizing Rome.
After releasing its True Name, the spear would expand and transform into a great tree, creating the "past, present, and future appearance of the Imperial Capital Rome," rushing toward the enemy like a raging torrent.
It could not simply be viewed as a normal tree. If the tree were divided into small pieces, the weight would be even higher than steel of the same size.
Even calling it a grotesque "torrent of steel" would not be an exaggeration at all.
Under this terrifying mass impact, even with Takumi's Noble Phantasm blocking in front, the two only lasted for a second or two before being pushed backward frantically.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Smashing through an unknown number of walls with their backs, the two barely managed to hold on, no longer being pushed back at the previous speed.
The two propped up the flag with their hands desperately, daring not to relax even a bit.
Because as long as they dared to relax slightly, this terrifying torrent of "trees" would crush them directly.
But even so, under this terrifying attack, cracks climbed up the barrier condensed by light again.
Through the gaps.
The fierce wind carried by the "torrent of steel" blew the two's hair straight back.
Time seemed to suddenly slow down at this moment.
Nero glimpsed Takumi beside her from the corner of her eye, gritting his teeth and staring dead ahead.
Under the golden-red light, both of their faces were also reflected in golden-red.
But the bloodstains on Takumi's face that he hadn't had time to wipe off could still be seen.
The corners of Nero's mouth couldn't help rising slightly.
This was joy, the joy of being trusted.
Nero could feel that even at a time like this, Takumi still trusted her.
And it was unconditional, unreserved trust.
If Nero didn't say it, perhaps no one would ever know, right?
Actually, she had also obtained Heroic Spirit power like Boudica.
But unlike Boudica, who was re-summoned after death.
Her state was more like that of a Demi-Servant.
And the one merged with her wasn't anyone else, but herself—the future Nero.
At first, she only obtained the physical fitness of a Servant.
Later, slowly, she obtained all the memories, skills, and even the Noble Phantasm of herself as a Heroic Spirit.
So naturally, she also knew her own ending.
A tragic ending.
No one understood, no one accompanied her, and only three days after her death did someone finally come to see her.
Suddenly accepting such heavy information, even Nero had doubts about herself as an Emperor.
'If it's an ending like that, am I really suitable to be an Emperor?'